Coal India Limited Celebrates 50 Glorious Years of Nation Building
Coal India Limited Celebrates 50 Glorious Years of Nation Building
Coal India Limited (CIL), a Maharatna Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Coal, is marking a momentous milestone — completing 50 years of its establishment. CIL stepped into its 51st year of foundation on 1st November 2025. Established on 1st November 1975, CIL was formed as the apex holding company of the nationalized coking coal mines (1971) and non-coking coal mines (1973). With a dedicated workforce of over 2.2 lakh employees, CIL remains one of the largest corporate employers in the country.
The Maharatna coal behemoth’s production increased nearly tenfold in five decades by 702 million tonnes (MTs) from 79 MTs in its year of founding in 1975 to 781 MTs at the closure of FY 2025. Similarly, during the referred period coal supplies were up by 685 MTs from 78 MTs to 763 MTs.
Interestingly, production and off-take pace was fastest during the last decade with production raising from 494 MTs during FY 2014-15 to FY 781 MTs in 2024-25, which was a high trajectory jump of 287 MTs. This is close to 41% of the entire increase of 702 MTs that CIL achieved in five decades. The decadal growth in coal off-take also was high at 40%, up in volume terms by 274 MTs from 489 MTs in FY 2014-15 to 763 MTs in FY 2024-25.
“For any company to be in the forefront of the country’s energy sector persistently for 50 years, accounting for 75% of the nation’s entire coal output is a notable achievement” said a senior executive of CIL. This highlights CIL’s increasing commitment and the Coal Ministry’s impetus to take up the coal production to higher orbit.
This year’s CIL’s foundation day coincided with Shri. P M Prasad relinquishing his office as Chairman on reaching superannuation. Shri. Sanoj Kumar Jha, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal stepped in holding the additional charge as Chairman CIL. Shri B Sairam, CMD of Northern Coalfields Limited, a subsidiary of CIL, was selected for CIL Chairman’s post by the country’s governmental headhunter Public Enterprises Selection Board but is yet to formally take charge.
Diversification Ventures
Apart from its core competency, CIL is stepping big into diversification initiatives like setting up solar power plants of 3000 MW by FY 2028 in the first phase, critical mineral acquisitions, coal gasification etc.
As diversification, CIL established a JV with a stake of around 30 percent with Hindustan Urvarak Rasayan Limited (HURL) to set up three mega fertilizer plants. All the three plants have become operational generating profits from FY 2024. During the last two financial years combined CIL’s portion of Profit was Rs. 900 Crores. HURL has also declared the first ever interim dividend where CIL’s share was Rs.404 Crores out of the total of Rs.1343 Crores.
CIL is actively participating in domestic auctions of critical minerals held by the Ministry of Mines. It is also scouting for acquiring assets overseas in mineral rich countries like Australia, Argentina and Chile with focus on lithium, graphite and cobalt. The company has already emerged as preferred bidder for two graphite blocks one each in Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh. CIL was also the preferred bidder for the Ontillu-Chandragiri REE block in Andhra Pradesh and secured the Exploration License for this block targeting Rare Earth Elements.
CIL is pursuing three gasification projects aligning with three Indian PSUs, through joint venture mode for ammonium nitrate and synthetic natural gas. Coal Gasification Plant Development and Production Agreement was signed with the Ministry of Coal for financial support of Rs.1350 Crores for each project.
Workers’ Welfare
Recently, to strengthen social security and pensionary benefits for coal mine workers, Coal Ministry introduced a new draft legislation “Coal Mines Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, 2025”. Comments are being sought on this.
Enhancing the Workers’ Welfare starting September 17 the ex gratia payment for coal workers for fatalities from mine accidents, compensation has been raised from Rs. 15 lakh to Rs. 25 lakh. This applies equally to regular and contract workers under Coal India’s “We Care” initiative. Regular Coal workers will get additional personal accident insurance cover of Rs 1 crore. Contract workers are now covered with a Rs. 40 lakh insurance policy for the first time. Employees are not required to pay any premium for this coverage making it a truly welfare-oriented measure.
As an important arm of inclusive growth, CIL and its coal companies under CIL booked an expenditure of Rs. 6,149 Crores in last ten years. This is 26% higher than the statutory requirement. During FY 2024-25 CIL’s CSR spend at Rs. 850 Crores grew by 30% compared to Rs. 654 crore of FY 2023-24. CIL’s flagship CSR initiative is Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana under which CIL has provided financial aid for treatment of more than 800 children suffering from Thalassemia and aplastic anemia.
As CIL enters its 51st year, it stands committed to continuing its legacy of powering India’s growth while advancing toward a sustainable, self-reliant, and carbon-conscious future.